Thanks again, Ava.
“Too bad… You should’ve sent her my way.” I huff in return to his answer and glance back at the girls. Jane and Holly have their heads thrown back in laughter, but Ava, for some reason, only has eyes for me.
I shift in my seat, suddenly feeling uncomfortable with my own feelings. Why the fuck do I even care if she’s looking my way? It means nothing. I glower her way, and she bites down a smidge on her lip, anddamnit,that does something to me.
I decide to go against every thought and nerve screaming at me to flip her off and return her heated gaze, taking a long sip of my beer before licking my bottom lip slowly. I want to see her reaction.
I watch her eyes follow every motion, and her throat bobs as if she just swallowed a giant bite of a juicy burger. She lifts her wine glass and takes another big pull of the sweet liquid as if she’s mulling an idea over. Her eyebrows scrunch as if she’s thinking better of it and looks away.
I chuckle, my interest definitely sparked. I might enjoy playing with fire a little too much tonight. I watch as she jumps into the conversation with the ladies. Just as I begin to think that that little interlude, or whatever the fuck it was, is over, she looks back my way and blushes a little. She blinks a few times before shaking her head to dispel whatever she was just thinking. I’d like to know. I’d like to see a real, deep blush take over that face instead of just that barely noticeable, pretty pink tinge that the other’s likely suspected was from the wine.
She lifts her water glass, looking into it before her fingers work up the straw, and she tilts her head slightly and pushes the tip past her lips again, rolling her eyes back up to mine. Her lashes flutter, and my breath catches.She’s toying back with me. Just how far will she take this?I bite my lip and dip my head nonchalantly as I lean back and get a little more comfortable in my chair.
Taking my movements slow so I don’t draw the guys’ attention, I reach up to grab my tie by one end, pulling it off in a slow slide. I stretch it from end to end between both hands, enjoying the flames stoking in her eyes as she watches in captivation as the muscles in my hands and forearms flex. They widen ever so slightly when I wrap the tie around one fist like I would a length of a woman’s hair. I tug against the tension of the leftover tie and release it back out.
She takes in a deep breath, blowing it out slowly from her puffed cheeks, and I stifle a giggle. She attempts to hide her discomfort by sipping on that damn straw again as she slightly shifts in her seat, but her eyes aren’t leaving mine. A silent dare to keep going. I want to watch her squirm.
I sit back and take a breath, looking around the room like I’m bored, taking in the faces of all the bystanders who are oblivious to our little battle of the wills. I tilt the corner of one side of my lips up in a slight smirk at her before twisting mywrist purposely and slowly around one side of the tie, making a loop before expertly pulling the other end through to make a makeshift pair of handcuffs. When I pull the knot tight, her glass lowers a little, and her pretty, plump lips gasp open in surprise with the straw slipping from between them, falling into her glass. She swallows hard, and I take the victory, smirking darkly at her and winking my acknowledgement of her dirty thoughts.
She scoffs, crossing her arms, but I see the flush creeping up her chest into her cheeks. It’s glorious. She’s turned on and hates me for it, and I bet those crossed arms are hiding perfectly hard nipples poking through that dress.
I chuckle and chew on the inside of my lip, deciding against my better judgement to pull out my phone. I’m a glutton for punishment, but I’m daring myself to be bold. I scroll through my contacts of the wedding party and land on Ava’s number.
Trystan walks over to their table and drops off a round of double shots before bringing a couple over to do with me. We slam them back,whew, tequila…before he slaps my back and takes the other two to Colin and Sydney.
Garrett follows suit, and I dare say the fuzziness clouding my brain within minutes has me staring at the screen a bit longer than I intended in order to figure out what message I’m going to actually send to her.
Me: You look uncomfortable over there. Is there something I can help you with?
I send it, biting my lip while wondering how spectacularly this is going to blow back in my face, but I can’t help myself. I’m intrigued. I roll my eyes up to her and see when she jumps in her skin a little at the vibration of her phone next to her hand. She lifts it, searching for the message, and freezes when she reads it. I lean on my elbow and bite my thumb inconspicuously as I run my forefinger along my bottom lip just waiting for her reaction.
Her eyes flitter up to mine, and she looks around the room as if someone is privy to our secret discussion. She bites her lip before looking back down and typing on her phone. I wait.
Buzz.
She looks back up at me as I smirk again and open my lock screen.
Ava: You’re distracting me.
Me: How’s that?
Ava: You’re toying with me.
Me: I enjoyed making you blush.
Ava: I did no such thing.
Me: Why’d you cross your arms, Ava? Why are you squirming in your seat? Better yet, why have you had your eyes on me all. Fucking. Night?
Ava: You drive me crazy.
I chuckle to myself. I can work with this. I’m crazy, but it’s just my style.
Me: You didn’t answer my questions.
Ava: I’m not going to.
Me: I guess I can answer them for you then, and you tell me if I’ve hit the right spot.